Letters of New Caprica
by KateInSpace
Summary: Laura and Bill exchanged a series of letters after the settlement on New Caprica. The letters reveal a new element of their relationship and their plans for the future.
1. Laura Roslin

Admiral -

A young and eager ensign has ensured me he will deliver this letter to you personally. I usually wouldn't send a letter through such a source, but I don't believe anyone is interested in the correspondence of an old school teacher and have little worry that it will reach you with its seal intact.

It's not like it used to be, Bill. I'm beginning to feel like a person again for the first time since the attacks. I'm no longer the President, just a citizen, and if you'll believe it, I've almost drifted into anonymity. I like to believe it's because people are finally getting back to their lives, they're too busy shopping at the market and going to work and taking care of their children to notice or care about some washed up ex-President. I hope I don't sound unappreciative, it's nice to just be "Laura" or "Miss Roslin," but, well, you remember what it was like when the Pegasus first arrived and Adm. Cain assumed command. It's a relief to no longer have any formal responsibility to the Fleet and humanity as a whole, but I still feel like I owe them something. But as you've told me many times, the people made their decision, they want Baltar as their President and there's no recourse to be taken against it. Sorry, I'm rambling.

I hope Lee's doing well; I want to hear all about him and how he's doing with the Pegasus. I'm sure he's a fine commander.

I miss you, Bill, and I hope to hear from you soon.

- Laura Roslin


	2. Sincerely, Bill

Dear Laura,

It was great to receive your letter today. I wish you could have seen the look on Ensign Thomas' face when he delivered it; he looked as if I would have put him out an airlock if there was anything wrong with the letter. It's the sort of thing you and I would have shared a laugh about.

I can't believe you've been down on that planet for so long. I would have written sooner but we've been so busy cleaning up Baltar's many messes among other things, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping track of you. I've heard from various sources that you are quite the teacher and all of the children think very highly of you. I remember Lee and Zak adoring their teachers when they were younger, even developing small crushes on a few of them. So watch out for the young would-be suitors in your class!

It's been so long since I've gone anywhere without people saluting me everywhere I go that I wouldn't know what to do with anonymity, but it has its appeal. I am positive though that you don't just blend into the scenery. I have no doubt that a pretty woman like you doesn't go unnoticed on that dreary planet.

Lee is doing really well, thank you for asking about him. He is seeing Lt. Dualla and their relationship seems to be very serious. She's applied for a transfer to Pegasus. I hate to lose her in the CIC but I don't think my son would ever speak to me again if I didn't approve it! It's really good to see Lee happy.

I haven't been down to New Caprica since the initial surveys, but I've been thinking about making an unofficial visit. Just to check up on things. If I were to come down, do you think you could find time to give me a tour of the settlement?

I miss you too, Laura. I miss working with you as President, but I miss spending time with you more. Take care of yourself, ok?

Sincerely,

Bill


	3. Yours truly, Laura

Dear Bill,

I will not only give you a tour of New Caprica, I would also like to be your host while you're here. That is, if you don't already have plans. My tent isn't much, but I can procure a spare cot and can cook better than the chefs in the public mess hall. You were more than generous in offering to share your quarters with me on numerous occasions, please let me return the favor. How long do you think you'd be able to stay?

Did your 'various sources' tell you that I teach the youngest children? I can't imagine those five year olds trying to woo me. Bill Adama, you are incorrigible. And I haven't exactly had any other suitors either. Tory and Maya have been trying to get me to go to some bar the people have set up, they say I don't get out often enough. They seem to think that I ought to settle down and really make a home here with some nice man. It's ridiculous, isn't it?

That's great news about Lee and Dualla, I always liked her. That's what we've been fighting for, isn't it Bill? So people can live their lives again. Lee and Dualla are the personification of all our hopes for humanity.

But do come for a visit, I'd really like to see you. I know you're busy, but please try, it would really mean a lot to me.

Give my regards to Lee and Saul and Dualla and Kara and everyone else on Galactica.

Yours truly,

Laura


	4. See you soon, Bill

Dearest Laura,

I would be honored to stay with you during my impending trip to New Caprica, if you're sure I wouldn't be too much of a burden. My visit will be sooner rather than later due to Baltar's insistence that a significant portion of the military be present for his groundbreaking. True to his nature, it sounds as if Baltar is planning a large festivity of sorts after the ceremony. I hope you don't have a date to it Ms. Roslin, because I would like the privilege of being your escort for the evening. Unfortunately I think I'll only be able to stay one night and return to Galactica the following afternoon, but I intend to make the most of it.

I read a report this morning that said there was torrential rainfall last night. I thought about you and your tent and hope you stayed dry. I'm going to bring you an extra tarp from Galactica and secure it over your tent in case the weather gets worse. I worry about you down there.

In response to your letter, no, I don't think it's ridiculous for you to settle down with a nice man and make a home. You deserve every iota of happiness you can find, Laura, and if you find someone that makes you happy, seize the opportunity.

As much as I would love to spend the rest of the evening writing to you, I have a stack of reports to go through. Most of them are requests from crew members to be relieved of duty. After all this time I can't believe these people want to leave Galactica and move down to the planet. Chief Tyrol came by to talk to me about it earlier this evening and I thought he was joking. Turns out he and his wife actually want to raise their child down there. I told him no, that I need him and Cally on Galactica and that they are indispensable personnel. If Lee and Dualla are making it work, so can they. This is a warship and we need every able bodied person we have.

This letter will arrive in your hands only a day before I set foot on New Caprica. I'm looking forward to seeing you, Laura.

See you soon,

Bill


	5. Yours, Laura

My darling Bill,

You just walked out of my tent not five minutes ago and I can already hear your raptor departing to take you back to Galactica. I don't know how you managed to look so composed after everything we smoked and drank last night – my head's still spinning.

I just found your lost briefs hidden under my red dress. I considered sending them back to you with this letter but decided that it would be too conspicuous. And poor Ensign Thomas! I can just picture the look of utter shock on his face when he realized why that particular article of clothing remained in my tent, considering you're wearing the same uniform you arrived in (the stains the "alluvial deposits" left on your pants are a dead giveaway!). I'll just keep them safe and hidden here as a memento of last night.

It would seem, Admiral, that your crew is going to be making quite a few adjustments in the next week or so. With Kara and Sam married and so many others mustering out, things will undoubtedly be a lot different on Galactica. Have you thought about settling down here? I'm not talking about right now, because I know that Galactica is your home, but it's worth thinking about. You can't work forever, Bill, you deserve peace and happiness as much as I do. There are plenty of ways you could be put to work down here too, you could be a very productive civilian. And there are more than enough tents to go around and I'm sure you wouldn't have any problem getting set up here.

I promised Maya I'd look after her baby today while she gets some rest, so I should probably go.

I miss you already. Come back soon.

Yours,

Laura


	6. Love, Bill

My Laura,

I am so sorry I had to leave the planet so early. I would have liked nothing more than to stay planetside and spend more time with you. Gods Laura, you're incredible.

I received a call from Lee early this morning asking me to come over to Pegasus as soon as possible. I checked on things in CIC and then raptored there where Lee met me on the hangar deck. He told me that he had asked Dualla to marry him and that he wanted me to perform the ceremony right then! I knew their relationship was serious, but I had no idea they wanted to make that commitment to each other so soon, so you can imagine my shock. He took me back to his quarters where Dualla and a handful of their friends had gathered and I married them right there. My son is married, Laura!

I went to the observation deck after dinner tonight and spent some time just looking out the window, down on the planet. The settlement was of course covered by clouds so I couldn't see much, but I tried to imagine what you were doing at that moment. I guessed that you and Maya were grading papers and assignments in your tent with Isis nearby, hopefully keeping warm, probably sipping on tea. I wish I could be there with you. I hadn't previously considered settling on New Caprica, but I'm sure I could warm up to the idea.

I miss you.

Love,

Bill

P.S.

Were you serious about building a cabin?


	7. Yours always, Laura

Dear Bill,

Congratulations on Lee and Dualla's marriage! I'm so happy for them, and for you! Somehow, word has already gotten around about their marriage and there's a party planned for this evening in their honor. Can you expect some grandchildren soon? Grandpa Adama has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

It has been raining constantly since you left and I'm so grateful for the tarp you brought. It is the kindest gift anyone has ever given me. Thank you.

Bill, I love you. I've been skirting around that for quite some time now and I've finally said it. I know I should have had some kind of preamble, but there's nothing I can say that would explain it. But I don't need an explanation. I love you, Bill Adama.

Yours always,

Laura

P.S. Of course I will build our cabin.


	8. I Love You, Bill

My love,

I've read your last letter so many times that I've memorized it. You've always been straightforward; it's one of your best qualities. I love you too, very much. And now it is my turn to be straightforward because I want to stop wasting precious time we could be spending together. You, of course, are welcome to tell me if I'm making too many assumptions about us, but I have a feeling that things will work out.

I'm sending Saul down to the planet tomorrow. I know it'll be hard getting him to leave Galactica, he's the most stubborn man I've ever met, but I know he wants to be with Ellen, so he'll go. I will promote Lieutenant Agathon to replace him. Helo's a good man, he'll make a good leader, don't you think? As soon as Helo gets comfortable with command and in the CIC, I'm going to retire.

I'm going to settle on New Caprica, Laura. I want to settle with you. We better start looking for someone to build our cabin. I'd do it myself, but I'll be up here for at least another month and I want construction to start immediately. I'll contact Galen Tyrol and see if he knows a good carpenter.

You can tease me all you want about becoming "Grandpa Adama," but it might not appear as funny to you when you become "Grandma Adama." We're not getting old, are we, Laura? In any event, I suspect that we will be thrilled with any nicknames our grandchildren decide to confer upon us.

It seems very strange that in the midst of the apocalypse we are beginning our lives together. I can come to no other conclusion than to assume that this must be a miracle bestowed to us by your gods. When I move down with you, we need to thank them properly.

It looks like you and I will get our peace and happiness after all.

I love you,

Bill


	9. Yours forever, Laura Roslin

Dear Bill,

I know you will never receive this letter. Hopefully you are far, far away from here right now. Gods, I hope you're far away and safe. Saul said Galactica, Pegasus, and the rest of the orbiting fleet was able to jump away safely, but I can't help but think the cylons may have been waiting to ambush you at another location. Keep running Bill, get as far away from here as you can, you have to keep humanity safe.

Isn't it ironic that as soon as you start considering the Lords of Kobol to be semi-tangible ideas they seem to forsake us? But you can't lose faith Bill, you can't lose hope. You must take our people to Earth.

Don't come back for us, I know that will be your instinct, but I fear that we may be a lost cause. We've been hearing a lot of rumors, but the cylons have imposed a curfew and have centurions posted and patrolling every inch of the settlement, so it's hard to get information circulating among our people. We've heard that the cylons have started taking prisoners (as if we're not all prisoners already) and locked them up in holding cells. Kara is among them. Sam Anders is so ill that he couldn't defend her when they took her away and nobody knows where she is. Gods Bill! She, and so many others, could be dead for all we know.

I'm so afraid, so scared. Not that you'll ever see it, but this piece of paper is drowning in tear stains. Never doubt that I love you, Bill. That won't change, regardless of what the future holds for us. Thank you for giving me the only peace I have known in a long time.

But the time for promises has past, Admiral. Your sentiments are beautiful and trust that your plans would have been followed through had we not been thrust back to the frontlines of war. Happiness and the life you've described is no longer a luxury we can afford. Maybe you'll find it someday.

But right now, we have to get back to work.

Yours forever,

Laura Roslin


	10. Until we meet again, Bill

Oh Laura.

I will get you off of that godforsaken planet. And it is godforsaken, because there is no logical reason for why benevolent gods would leave their prophet and their people to die on that rock. If your gods do exist, I think you left them on Kobol. Not that they did us much good there either.

I should have let you steal the election. I should have helped you steal the election. I'm so sorry, Laura, I'm so sorry.

People say we were living on borrowed time since the first attacks on the Colonies, but we weren't. The time of the billions of people who didn't make it off of the planets was taken away from them. This is time that soldiers and civilians have bled for. This time is not by any account borrowed. And I assure you, Laura, as I hope to any gods left that you already know, that we will continue to fight for every hour, every minute of time and life we can give to you.

My greatest hope is that you are alive and well. My tactician's mind tells me that it's unlikely, given our previous experience with cylon invasions. But the heart of William Adama believes you are alive.

I know you won't get this letter. At least, not before we're face-to-face again. My first order of business after I get you back to Galactica is to lock the two of us in my quarters and hold you until they break down the hatch. But I will give this last letter to you, because I need you to have it as a witness to my love for you. I will seal it in an envelope, write your name on it, and put it in my desk drawer, waiting for you to open it.

Until we meet again,

Bill

The End.


End file.
